Choosing Love
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: Summary: A combination of two prompts I got. Cora knows Regina loves Emma and she encourages Regina to tell Emma how she feels. Hook is interested in Emma too and Emma has to make a choice. SQ with a dash of protective with her heart Cora.


_Summary: A combination of two prompts I got. Cora knows Regina loves Emma and she encourages Regina to tell Emma how she feels. Hook is interested in Emma too and Emma has to make a choice. SQ with a dash of protective with her heart Cora. _

_How about Cora knows that Regina loves Emma and she says she loves Regina and she let them be together and she won't do anything. But then Cora goes and see Emma and she says she'll let them be together and won't do anything. But if Emma hurts Regina then Cora will say she'll kill her - Regina fan_

_Perhaps Emma coming to Storybrooke and Cora pushing Regina to admit her feelings for Emma and Hook and Regina having a competition for Emma's heart - _

_Thank you both for the prompts and I hope you like how the story panned out. I just felt these two prompts worked well together. I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you enjoy :) _

Cora walks into the Diner and scans the room for her daughter. It's been a long year and finally she has managed to build a relationship with Regina. It still has its problems. Her past and the pain she inflicted on Regina still rears up from time to time. She knows all the hurt she caused her child. Now her main desire is simply for Regina to be happy.

She's seen how her daughter lights up around her son Henry but she knows there's more her daughter needs. Cora isn't blind. She's seen a certain relationship blossom between her daughter and the saviour, not that either of them having admitted anything. She can tell Regina is smitten with Emma and that she yearns to find some kind of happy ending with her.

Cora thinks back to Daniel, her daughter's first love, and how rather than encouraging her daughter to go after love she crushed it instead. She taught Regina that love is weakness and forced her to marry for power. She isn't about to make the same mistake again. Now it tears her apart to see her daughter miserable when she could be happy. She needs to know that Regina knows that love is not weakness but a strength. She wants her daughter to have the courage to go after love instead of fear it.

She knows she's the reason why her daughter fears opening her heart. Thanks to her killing Daniel her daughter believes that she will lose those she loves. Cora sighs knowing that her actions in the past are encouraging Regina to choose fear over love.

Finally she spots Regina in back booth stirring aimlessly at a cup of coffee as she stares across the Diner. Cora follows her gaze and sees that it's locked on Emma who's chatting away to Ruby behind the counter. Emma laughs and she sees how her daughter smiles a little at the sight.

Regina can't help it. Whenever Emma comes into a room it's hard for her to focus on anything else. She just wishes she had the courage to admit her feelings. Even if she did she knows the pirate is still lusting over Emma. Regina sighs staring into her coffee until she hears the melodic laugh of her saviour. She loves that sound. She smiles, a little sadly, as Emma laughs. She smiles because she loves seeing Emma happy. Her sadness comes from her wish that it was her causing that happiness.

Her mother sits down across from her startling her from her reverie. After a few more moments she tears her gaze away from Emma and to her mother. "Hello mother," she says trying to muster up a smile. She can tell she doesn't succeed from her mother's sad smile in response.

She's not sure exactly when she fell in love with Emma. All she knows is that since Emma's arrival day by day Emma chipped away at her walls. Now with Emma she can just be herself. She's under no pressure to be a queen or a mayor. She can just be Regina. With Emma she feels like she can have a happy ending again. If only she could voice her feelings.

"Is everything okay darling?" Cora asks stilling her daughter's hand knowing that her coffee really does not need to be stirred any further.

"Fine," Regina replies as if the word could make it true.

Cora frowns before considering her next words, "You should tell her."

"What?"

"Emma. You should tell her how you feel."

Regina blinks stunned, "How did you know?"

Cora smiles, "I know what you look like when in you're in love. The first time I went about it in the complete wrong. I taught you that love was weakness. I made you scared that you would lose love. Regina, killing Daniel and making you marry the King, was one of the worst things I have ever done in my life. It made you afraid to go after love. I was wrong back then Regina. Love is a strength. Shying away from it might protect you from pain but it stops you from being happy too. Back in our land I made you choose power over love. This time round I have my heart. I know the right answer now and you should choose love Regina."

"What if she doesn't feel the same?" Regina asks.

"Why wouldn't she sweetheart?"

"Hook" Regina says.

Cora frowns, "Trust me dear I've seen how Emma looks at you and how she looks at him. It's no contest. Please don't be afraid. I stood in your way in the past but I won't anymore. Whatever you choose to do I will support you honey and if you want to be with Emma then that's wonderful. I spent far too long trying to control your destiny. Now it's up to you Regina. I'm not going to stand in your way. And no matter what happens you need to tell her or the secret will crush you."

Regina sighs taking in her mother's words. Cora hit the nail on the end. Ever since Daniel she has feared love and going after it just in case she loses it. She knows her mother is not a threat to her happiness anymore and she knows love is a strength and yet she still can't help but be nervous. _What if she doesn't feel the same way? _

"Regina?" Cora asks as her daughter remains silent.

"I want to tell her but I don't know what I would do if she doesn't feel the same."

"It'll hurt but you can come to me Regina and I don't know. We'll sit and eat ice-cream and cry it out. No matter what I'll be here for you Regina. But you have to take a chance every now and then."

Regina nods before squeezing her mother's hand in thanks, "Stay here?"

Cora nods, "Good luck."

* * *

Regina walks up to Emma with a slightly nervous smile, "Hey", she says making Emma turn to look at her. The blonde smiles at her and Regina grins. God she loves that smile. "So what's up?" Emma asks.

"I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot" Emma says. _Please be what I think it is. _Hook may lust after her and whilst she has flirted with him lately she's been having feelings for Regina. Well she says lately but she means forever. She just never thought Regina was interested and so she entertained the idea of Hook. After all he's changed and so she has given them a chance. They've been on a few dates but she doesn't see it going anywhere. Especially since most of the time her thoughts are not of him at all.

"Okay, uhm, well lately I – I have feelings for you Emma and so, I, I wanted to ask you if you maybe wanted to go on a date with me?" Regina asks blushing slightly.

Emma smiles at the adorable brunette about to answer when Hook sidles up.

"I'll think you'll find this lass is taken your Majesty."

Emma scowls, "That's up to me to decide."

"Are we not together?" he asks.

"We've been on a few dates Hook but I wouldn't say we were together." Emma says.

He frowns before turning to Regina, "It looks like I have some competition for Swan's heart."

Regina frowns, "I didn't mean to cause any trouble." She wasn't aware that the pair had gone out and she never intended to break a couple up. Her frown deepens when she looks at Hook. His expression is not one of defending a love, but one of defending a prize.

Emma shakes her head, "It isn't any trouble. Hook we aren't a couple. Regina I'd love to go out with you."

Regina smiles, "You would?"

"I would. Uhm tomorrow at eight?"

"That would be great."

"Okay have your one date," Hook says, "But Emma you know I won't be giving up just like that. I am interested in you and it's only fair that I get a date too."

Emma frowns, "You think I owe you a date?"

"It's only fair lass. There is a competition to fight for your heart so surely we each get a turn?" he asks.

Emma scowls, "That is not how you ask someone for a date."

"Fine. Swan would you like to go out with me?" he asks with an exasperated sigh.

Emma frowns, "One drink. Meet me at the Rabbit Hole later," she says, "Regina I'll see you tomorrow." With that she leaves.

Hook turns to Regina, "Well your Majesty I'll admit you're an unexpected obstacle in my quest for Emma but I look forward to a fair fight."

"Fight?" Regina asks, "It's not a fight with Emma as some prize at the end Hook. I like her. I'm interested in her and I choose her if she wants me. Hopefully she wants me."

"Well we'll see who comes out the best tomorrow won't we?" Hook asks with a confident smirk before exiting the Diner.

Regina sighs before heading back to the booth where her mother waits.

"Well?" Cora asks.

"She agreed to a date," Regina says and her mother smiles until she adds, "But she also agreed to go for a drink with Hook. He's interested in her too. Maybe this isn't a good idea. What if she picks him?"

"Regina would you pick him?"

Regina scrunches her face up in disgust, "God no but I'm not Emma and if she likes him she might."

"I think she'll pick you sweetheart. Right now you have a date to plan."

* * *

"How do I look?" Regina asks nervously smoothing down her red dress and slipping on a pair of heels.

Cora smiles, "You look beautiful."

Regina smiles, "I do?"

"You do."

Regina nods with a happy smile before nervously checking her hair. Cora smiles before walking up behind her daughter. She stills Regina's hands with her own. "You look great. It's going to be fine."

Regina smiles half-heartedly, "What is it's not?"

Cora frowns, "You can't go in thinking that sweetheart. You love her. Enjoy the date."

"She had drinks with Hook yesterday. I want to enjoy it but I don't want to be part of some love triangle or her second choice," Regina says.

Cora nods, "You're worried she won't pick you."

"I'm worried she won't pick at all. What if she just keeps letting us both date her? I'm not sure I can do that Mom. I want to be with Emma but I don't think I can do it if she won't pick. I choose her Mom. Just her. I think I need her to make a choice but what if she resents me for pushing her to make it?"

"Don't push her then. Just tell her how you feel. You can only be honest sweetheart and if you need to decide then you have to tell her that. Just try and enjoy yourself okay?"

Regina smiles, "I'll try."

Cora kisses her forehead, "Good luck."

"Thanks Mom," Regina says, "And thank you for encouraging me to go do this."

"Anytime," her mother replies, "Now go on, go after the woman you love."

* * *

"Wow," Emma says as Regina walks in. "You look amazing."

"Thank you," Regina replies before taking in the sight of Emma in her little black dress, "You look really gorgeous."

Emma blushes, "It's just a dress."

"It's not the dress, it's the person who wears it and you Emma make that dress look incredible," Regina says with a sincere smile before handing a bouquet of white and red roses to her, "These are for you."

Emma grins taking the flowers. No-one's ever given her flowers before, "Thank you, they're beautiful. I've never seen this kind of rose before."

"I would have gone for red but it felt too cliché. Red and white roses are for unity plus I like the idea of the two together. It works well don't you think?"

Emma smiles looking at Regina fondly, "It really does." She looks over Regina noticing a slight hint of fear in the other woman's expression.

"Are you okay?" Emma asks worriedly.

"Yes," Regina says, "I, I have something I need to tell you and I don't know how you're going to react."

"You never know until you tell me," Emma says reassuringly. "You can tell me anything Regina."

Regina smiles looking into the blue-green eyes she loves so much. She sighs before she takes a deep breath and starts talking, "You had drinks with Hook last night."

"One drink," Emma corrects, "And it was horrible. He kept going on about he was a much better choice except it was more about why I should spend the night with him and not you with a load of really horrible lewd puns. It was gross. He just kept going on about I should pick him."

Regina frowns, "I'm not going to do that. It's up to you who you choose Emma and I'm not going to badmouth Hook or tell you to pick me. I hope you do choose me. The things is Emma is, I don't just like you, I love you. I love you and as much as I really want this date, I really want to be here with you I can't be the other woman. I know Hook is interested in you and you've gone out with him a few times. I don't know if you want him. I hope you don't. But the thing is, I want to be here but I want this to be something. I can't do this and not know. I really need you to make a choice."

Emma nods, "I understand that. Here's the thing, I never thought I stood a chance with you which is why I kept things going with Hook. I figured he liked me and we had fun flirting so I had to try. But it didn't work. It hasn't worked. I didn't want to go for a drink with him Regina. I want you. I know you would never force me into anything but I choose you."

Regina smiles brightly, "You do?"

"I do. I've had feelings for you for a long time. Regina I love you too and I want this. I want you and me. I choose you if you'll have me."

Regina grins, "I want you."

Emma smiles "So can we have this date now?"

"There's one more thing I want to do first if you're up for it?" Regina asks.

"Okay?" Emma asks curiously as Regina stands and walks in front of her. Regina leans down so close that Emma can feel warm breath on her cheek. "Are you up for it?" Regina asks gazing into Emma's eyes. In that moment all Emma can do is nod and part her lips slightly. Regina closes the gap between them pressing her lips against Emma's in a tentative first kiss. She shuts her eyes with a contented hum as she explores Emma's soft painted lips. She loves the taste of her kiss. The feel. All her senses come into high alert and all she knows is this won't be their last kiss.

Emma grins giddily as Regina pulls away quickly tugging Regina back down to capture her lips in another kiss. They stay like that for several minutes before Regina breaks away and sit down. "I'd love to keep kissing you but we should eat as well."

* * *

The next week Cora waits in the Diner. She checks her watch noting that for the first time ever her daughter is late. She smiles to herself knowing the reason why. Since her date last week Regina has basically been floating on air. It doesn't take a genius to guess the reason why.

The door opens and Regina walks in with a bright smile on her face. She kisses her mother on the cheek before sitting down in front of her, "Good morning mother," she says cheerily.

Cora smiles at her daughter, "Well someone's happy."

"I am. I really really am Mom. Thank you."

"What for?"

"For encouraging me to tell Emma how I feel," Regina says, "She chose me Mom."

Cora smiles at her daughter's obvious joy, "I knew she would sweetheart. I'm so happy for you." It makes her happier than she could ever have imagined to see her daughter happy. Without her heart all she cared about was power but this, simply chatting with her ecstatic in-love daughter is more than enough.

She encouraged her daughter to express her feelings and it worked out. She won't stand in Regina's way however there's one last thing she needs to do.

* * *

Cora walks into the Sheirff's station with a determined expression. She finds Emma sitting at her desk doodling absentmindedly on a scrap piece of paper.

"Emma," Cora says announcing her arrival causing Emma to drop her pen in shock, "Cora hi. What can I do for you today?"

"I just need to talk to you."

Emma smiles nervously, "Regina says you're cool with us being together."

"I am," Cora says, "Look the first time round with Regina I did pretty much everything wrong. When she was in love I killed him and taught her power was more important than love. I'm not going to stand in the way of her happiness again because all I want is for her to be happy. I can see that you make her happy and I won't do anything to threaten that."

"That's awesome," Emma says with a relieved sigh.

"I'm not finished," Cora says, "I won't do anything to threaten my daughter's happiness but I will do anything I can to try and protect it. I know that the pirate is interested in you. I am staying good right now because with my heart I no longer wish to use dark magic. I will only use magic to protect the ones I love. What I'm saying is that I have no reason to be angry at you or to use magic unless you hurt my daughter, in which case I will hurt you or maybe even kill you. I don't want anything to hurt my little girl ever again. What I'm asking you Emma, is to please make sure I never have to slip into dark magic again because I really don't want to have to kill you."

"I really don't want you to either," Emma says with a small smile, "Look Cora I know you just want to protect her but you don't have to worry about me. Hook is interested in me but I'm not interested in him. I love Regina and I would never do anything to hurt her. I want her, me and Henry to be a family. I want us all to be together. I want us to be happy. I chose love Cora. I chose her."

It's all Cora needs to hear. She did everything wrong the first time her daughter was in love. This time round she knows her daughter is in love and is loved. This time round all she cares about is Regina being happy.

As she listens to Emma's words she knows she can trust the blonde to give her daughter happiness.

_Thanks for reading :) _


End file.
